Distribution and properties of cracking clay soils in relation to sustainable agriculture in the Namoi Valley

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Distribution and properties of cracking daysoilsin relation to sustainable agriculture in the Namo! Valley

Areporttothe COTTON RESEARCHCOUNCILonproject CS37L, February, 1990 by W. T. Ward, Division of Soils, CSIROc/-AES, CTiffith University, Nathan, 4/11

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Project CS 37L will finish at the end of this financial year. The present

situation is as follows.

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Ajarge part of the data base has been published in hard copy and is publicly

available in Naltabri, Wee Waa and at Myall Vale. A copy of the electronicdatabase is held at Myall Vale.

Themethod of data analysis, anew progi'am, is close to publication. A report on the soils of the Myall Vale Research Station is with the editor. Nine other manuscripts are nearly complete.

The electronic data base, a major outcome of the work, will have a continuing value especially to gaduate students, agronomists and agricultural

advisers. However, there is a need to maintain the data base so that it remains accessibleto potential users. This is not animmediate problem but misltt become so

when Ward's work on the data is finished.

In 1990/91itis proposed to complete laboratory analysis of 290 soil samples.

These samples, from soils near Wee Waa, had not been fully analysed when the

laboratory in Brisbanewas closed down.

Ward also proposes to prepare, in 1990/91, a brief guide to the soils of the

district. This will take the form of a self-guided tour through the district with

stopping points and descriptions of the landscape and soil at particular vantage points. The information will be directed to students and interested laypersons.

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Project CS 37L was originally planned to finish in Iune, 1989, but progiess was

held up by the closure of the Brisbane laboratories of the Division of Soils and the consequentloss of most staff. Approval was givento extendthe projectint0 1989/90.

This report outlines the state of project CS 37L in February, 1990. It is anticipated that allreports will be completed before the end of the financial year.

The Edgeroisoildatabase Earnajorproduct of theresearch

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It is possible that the data base in1811tfallinto disuse with the termination of the project. This should not be allowed to happen because the data base is in fact a resource that would repay further study. Ward, who is the only present user, will have

little need for the data base after Iune, 1989. Others will find much of value in it, but

the problem is to find interested researchers. Potential users are most likely to be agi'onomists or graduate students in the universities. In the meanwhile, there is a

needtomaintainthe database. Anew project proposal which accompanies this report will help to achieve this end.

Distribution and properties of cracking clay soils in relation to sustainable agriculture

in the Namoi Variey

The project(a)investigates soilphysical and chemical measures relevant to the evaluation of the agricultural potential of cracking clay soils of the Namoi Valley; to) provides laboratory data suited to the application of computer and geostatistical techniques to the grouping of the soils into classes for sustainable land use; and (c)

relates the soil of local research stations to the soils of the neighbouring district.

Using data from an extensive survey of 1250 sq kilt near Narrabri, geostatistical techniques were used to identify soil attributes of possible relevance to agriculture.

The essential tasks are

I. To displaythe data oninaps, in order to identify geogi'aphicpattems.

2. To relate the data to the soil units identified horn the landscape study 3, To identify patterns in the chemical data.

4. To group the datain useful classes by numerical techniques.

5. To identify features significant to management.

6. To complete the geological and soilreports.

7. Toreport on the completed studytopotentialusers at Natrabri.

Thesetasks will be completed and~reported upon beforethe end of Iune, 1990.

210 of the 390 soil profile descriptions, \with relevantlaboratorydata, have been

published and are available in the public libraties in Natrabri and Wee Waa. Similar reportsfor the remaining 180 soil profiles are being prepared and other articles are

being prepared for publication.

2.

The Edgeroisoil database was completed by describing the remaining 17 soil profiles and by supplying missing field data for samples analysed in the laboratory.

Files relating to surface soils and lost at the time of laboratory closure were retrieved from a VAXbackup tape.

Data to support the geological report have been obtained and are corrently being written up. Several statistical summaries of the data have been prepared.

Various scripts were written for publication (see below).

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I Soilstudies in the lower Namoi Valley: Methods and data - The Edgeroidata

set, vols I & 2. MCGany, Ward, MCBratney.

This publication is available in the public libraries in Nan. abri and Wee Waa.

Similar reports for the remaining 180 soil profiles them 13, below) will be drafted this

year.

2 Spatial variation, prediction and mapping of surface soil attributes in the Edgeroiarea of New South Wales. MCBratney, Hart, MCGany. journal of Soil Science.

With 'or, CSI O

3 MacFUZZf- AUSer-friendly progi'am for data analysis by generalised fuzzyk-

means on the Macintosh. AW. Waid, W. T. Ward, AB. MCBratney and 1.1. de Grunter.

(This report indudes examples showing applications of the analytical technique: "Soils of "Myall Vale" research station - Surface chemistry'; "Rainfall at 'Pendennis' - Yearly patterns"; and "Anderson's ms data - A test of fuzzy k-means").

4 The soils of the AgricultLtralResearch Station at"MyallVale", near Narrabri,

with data analysis by fuz^, k-means. Ward, MCTainsh, MCGarry, Smith.

. . .

Parentrocks and landscapes of the Edgeroidistrict in relation to soils.

(This is complete exceptfordesciiptions of topsoildata analyses).

Round Swamp, lower Namoi Valley. Waitl and MCTainsh.

7 The Uanotransect, near Nan'abri, NSW: fuzzy classification of routine soil analyses. Ward, Cumining and Little.

8 Soilsimcturein greyclays(verbsols)from Edgeroi, N. S, W. Little.

9 Edgeroidatabase:summary statisticsforallsoillayeis. Cuminingand Ward.

10 EdgeroiSurface SoilData: Analyses Using Systatand Fuzzy. Ward, Cumining

and MCGany. This is the 0-2 cm soil data.

11 Surface soils from the Natrabfiarea, NSW:fuzzy classification of routine soil analyses. Ward, Cumining and Daniells. This is the 040 cm soil data.

12 A soilprofile at Llano, near Nan'abri, NSW: fuzzy classification of analytical

results. Ward, Little and Cumining. (Most of the text has yet to be written).

13 Soilsttidies in the lower Namoi Valley: Methods and data - Supplementary

profiles and transects, vols I & 2. Ward. (Extended profile descriptions are done but

transect descriptionshavetobe compiled).

Copies of the main scripts in preparation were given to researchers at Myall Vale. They were also given a copy of the electronic database for their use, together with a copyof MacFUZZY, the application fordata analysis.

The data base compiled by the CSIRO Division of Soils with the assistance of fundsfrom the Cotton Research Councilcontains a very large amount of information aboutthe soils of the Edgeroiand Myall Vale districts. There is no other data base like it in Australia, and no similar data base in any other country.

The data base describes 2,624 soil samples, taken from 390 soil profiles. 2334 samples havebeen analysedmostlyfor 14 vanates. 290 samples lack pathde size data.

This limits the usefulness of the data that is available forthese samples, and should be

remedied.

210 of the 390 soil profile descriptions, with relevantlaboratory data, have been

published and are available in the public libraries in Nan'abri and Wee Waa. Similar

reports will be produced for the remaining 180 soil profiles in 1989/90. These reports

merely present raw data, however. Other reports \vin present the data in more

informative ways.

A lengthy report on the soils at Myall Vale has been completed, and is being prepared now for publication. The report on the entire field study is in its final stages.

Draftsofbothreports are heldforlocalreference at Myall Vale Research Station by Mr Ian Daniells. Mr Little has been working on the structuralIy poor soils near Bald Hill andhassubmitted areport on thosetypes of soilforpublication.

The work undertaken in project CS 37L will be totally completed by the end of

this financial year. In 1990/91 it is proposed to do the mechanical analyses of 290 Edgeroi soil samples riot done as a consequence of laboratory closure, so that the

source profiles can be fully utilized in the Edgeroi data base.

Ward intends to prepare a tour guide to the soils of the Edgeroi district. (This is

envisaged as a self-guided tourthat maybe used by schoolgroups, interested farmers

and agricultural advisers).

Ward also plans to summarise soilreports completed in 1989/90 as journal papers, where appropriate, and will complete a report on the soils of the I. Awatson

research station, for which there was no time this year.

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The resultsthat Ward is getting from the data base are limited by the extent of his skills, and quite obviously he can cover only those parts where he has some e>(pertise. Much useful information remains. Others could use the data base to advantage.

The Edgeroi database is public property and the inforrnation is freely available especially to bona, ?Ile researchers. The problem is to find the researchers, and in the meantime maintain the data base while waiting forthe reseaichers to be identified.

Ward understands that no-one in the Division of Soils wishes to do work on

the Edgeroidata base when histnvolvement ceases. It is planned simply to transfer the Edgeroidata to the Division's WARIS database in Townsville. As few demands are made on that data store, it would seems likely that the Division of Soils will simply cease to use the data. Nevertheless, many people outside the Division could have a use forthe data base. The obvious candidates are the eraduate students of the Agriculture, Agionomy and Soil Science departments of the universities. One would hope also that there are professional agronomiststhat will use the infonnation. There is aneedtoengage the interest of students and professionals, with the long term aim of benefiting the cotton industry. However, there needsto be a central location forthe maincopyofdatabase.

There are twosorts of potential use. One is - how do the observations relate to problemsi^cogiIized by managers and agronomists in this district? The second use is

more frequent: a reseai^her has a problem in some district, and wants t6 know

whether the Edgeroidata can help. In bothinstancesthe questionersneedtoaccessthe databycontadingthedatamanager.

In the coming financial year I plan to summarise the Edgeioi work that I will completethis year, as journal arudes that will desertbe the Edgeroi districtin general terms. These papers will riot add anything to what will be in the reports of Project CS 37Lbut merely transmitthe results to a wider audience.

I shall also prepare a self-guided tour guide to the soils of the Edgeroi district.

This could be used by school groups for educational purposes, by interested farmers and by agi'ionltural advisers.

I also plan to summarise soilreports completed in 1989/90 as journal papers, where appropriate, and will complete a report on the soils of the IAWatson Wheat

Research Institute.

The attached newproject application provides a detailed costing.

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